Evaluating OD and change interventions

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Organization Development Organization Development and Changeand Change

Professor Jayashree Sadri and Professor Jayashree Sadri and Dr. Sorab SadriDr. Sorab Sadri

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Questions to ConsiderQuestions to Consider

1.1. Is it sufficient to focus HRD efforts on Is it sufficient to focus HRD efforts on individuals, or should we also consider individuals, or should we also consider interventions at the group and interventions at the group and organizational level?organizational level?

2.2. How can we assist individuals, groups, How can we assist individuals, groups, and organizations in successfully dealing and organizations in successfully dealing with change?with change?

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Questions to Consider Questions to Consider –– 2 2

3.3. Is it really possible to “transform” an Is it really possible to “transform” an entire organization?entire organization?

4.4. What might a “high performance work What might a “high performance work system” look like?system” look like?

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Organization Development (OD)Organization Development (OD)

Definition:Definition:

““A process used to enhance both the A process used to enhance both the effectiveness of an organization and effectiveness of an organization and the well-being of its members through the well-being of its members through planned interventions.”planned interventions.”

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Organization Development Organization Development TheoriesTheories

Two main categories of OD theories:Two main categories of OD theories:

Change process theoryChange process theory

– – How does change take place?How does change take place?

Implementation theoryImplementation theory

– – How can change strategies be put How can change strategies be put into practice?into practice?

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Organization Development Organization Development TheoriesTheories

Change process theoryChange process theory – seeks to – seeks to explain how organizations improve and explain how organizations improve and change. According to Lewin and change. According to Lewin and Schein, there are three stages:Schein, there are three stages:

– UnfreezingUnfreezing

– Change through cognitive restructuringChange through cognitive restructuring

– RefreezingRefreezing

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Organization Development Organization Development TheoriesTheories

Implementation theoryImplementation theory – how specific – how specific intervention strategies are designed intervention strategies are designed and carried out. Four main types:and carried out. Four main types:

– Human process-based theoryHuman process-based theory

– Technostructural theoryTechnostructural theory

– Sociotechnical systems theorySociotechnical systems theory

– Organization transformation theoryOrganization transformation theory

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Caution About Organization Caution About Organization Development ResearchDevelopment Research

Concerns have been expressed about much Concerns have been expressed about much of the OD research that has been conducted:of the OD research that has been conducted:

– Lack of experimental designsLack of experimental designs

– Lack of resources availableLack of resources available

– Limitations in field research designs usedLimitations in field research designs used

– Potential bias by researchersPotential bias by researchers

– Lack of motivation to conduct strong Lack of motivation to conduct strong researchresearch

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Model of Planned Change Model of Planned Change

By Permission: Porres & Silvers (1991)

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Model of Planned Change Model of Planned Change – 2– 2

Porras & Silvers ModelPorras & Silvers Model::1.1. Change intervention (two categories):Change intervention (two categories):

– Organization transformationOrganization transformation– Organization developmentOrganization development

2.2. Organizational target variables:Organizational target variables:– Vision (beliefs, purpose, mission)Vision (beliefs, purpose, mission)– Work setting (organizing arrangements, Work setting (organizing arrangements,

social factors, technology, physical setting)social factors, technology, physical setting)

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Model of Planned Change Model of Planned Change – 3– 3

Porras & Silvers ModelPorras & Silvers Model::

3.3. Individual organizational member:Individual organizational member:– Cognitive change (four types):Cognitive change (four types):

Alpha changeAlpha change Beta changeBeta change Gamma (A) changeGamma (A) change Gamma (B) changeGamma (B) change

– Behavior changeBehavior change

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Model of Planned Change Model of Planned Change – 4– 4

Porras & Silvers ModelPorras & Silvers Model::

4.4. Organizational outcomes:Organizational outcomes:– Improved organizational performanceImproved organizational performance– Enhanced individual developmentEnhanced individual development

Question: What is the value of this Question: What is the value of this model?model?

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Designing an Intervention Designing an Intervention StrategyStrategy

Specific RolesSpecific Roles:: Change ManagerChange Manager

– Oversees the design of the strategy; bears Oversees the design of the strategy; bears ultimate responsibilityultimate responsibility

Change AgentChange Agent– Assists the change manager; facilitates the Assists the change manager; facilitates the

activities involvedactivities involved Internal Change Agent (often an HRD professional)Internal Change Agent (often an HRD professional) External Change Agent (consultant)External Change Agent (consultant)

Individuals Individuals Labor UnionsLabor Unions

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Designing an Intervention Designing an Intervention Strategy Strategy –– 2 2

Systems ApproachSystems Approach::

Diagnose the EnvironmentDiagnose the Environment

– e.g., force field analysise.g., force field analysis

Develop an Action PlanDevelop an Action Plan

– objectives, activities, “details”objectives, activities, “details”

Evaluate the Results of the InterventionEvaluate the Results of the Intervention

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Force Field AnalysisForce Field Analysis

By Permission: Center for Effective Performance (1997)

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Types of Interventions: Types of Interventions: Human Process-BasedHuman Process-Based

Survey FeedbackSurvey Feedback– The systematic collection of survey dataThe systematic collection of survey data– Fed back to groups to promote problem Fed back to groups to promote problem

solving and changesolving and change

Team BuildingTeam Building– A process to improve a group’s problem-A process to improve a group’s problem-

solving abilitiessolving abilities– Example: process consultationExample: process consultation

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Types of Interventions: Types of Interventions: TechnostructuralTechnostructural

Job EnlargementJob Enlargement– Adding variety through similar tasksAdding variety through similar tasks

Job EnrichmentJob Enrichment– Increasing responsibility, knowledge of Increasing responsibility, knowledge of

results, and meaningfulness of workresults, and meaningfulness of work

Alternative Work SchedulesAlternative Work Schedules– Compressed workweekCompressed workweek– Flextime work scheduleFlextime work schedule

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Types of Interventions: Types of Interventions: Sociotechnical SystemsSociotechnical Systems

Quality CirclesQuality Circles– Involving employees in work decisionsInvolving employees in work decisions

Total Quality Management (TQM)Total Quality Management (TQM)– Continuous improvement effortsContinuous improvement efforts

Self-Managing Teams (SMTs)Self-Managing Teams (SMTs)– Team members have authority to make Team members have authority to make

decisions and regulate the team’s activitiesdecisions and regulate the team’s activities

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Types of Interventions: Types of Interventions: Sociotechnical Systems Sociotechnical Systems – 2– 2

Total Quality Management (TQM)Total Quality Management (TQM)– Five basic components:Five basic components:

Total commitment from senior managementTotal commitment from senior management Quality standards and measures in placeQuality standards and measures in place Training in quality for all employees Training in quality for all employees

(including Statistical Process Control)(including Statistical Process Control) Programs/ways to reward, recognize, and Programs/ways to reward, recognize, and

celebrate quality achievementscelebrate quality achievements Strong quality communication effortsStrong quality communication efforts

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Types of Interventions: Types of Interventions: Sociotechnical Systems Sociotechnical Systems – 3– 3

Self-Managing TeamsSelf-Managing Teams– Basic components:Basic components:

Interdependence among team membersInterdependence among team members Individual members have discretion/authority Individual members have discretion/authority

to make important work decisionsto make important work decisions Individual members possess a variety of Individual members possess a variety of

skills, so that they can perform multiple tasksskills, so that they can perform multiple tasks The team receives regular performance The team receives regular performance

feedbackfeedback

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Types of Interventions: Types of Interventions: Organizational TransformationOrganizational Transformation

Cultural InterventionsCultural Interventions– Efforts to change the values, norms, or ways of Efforts to change the values, norms, or ways of

thinking in an organizationthinking in an organization Strategic ChangesStrategic Changes

– Fundamental changes in the purpose or mission Fundamental changes in the purpose or mission of an organizationof an organization

Becoming a Learning OrganizationBecoming a Learning Organization– Beyond TQM, to continuous learning and Beyond TQM, to continuous learning and

improvement for all employeesimprovement for all employees High Performance Work SystemsHigh Performance Work Systems

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Types of Interventions: Types of Interventions: Organizational Transformation Organizational Transformation – 2– 2

Becoming a Learning OrganizationBecoming a Learning Organization– Dimensions that support learning:Dimensions that support learning:

Organization Structure – more collaborative Organization Structure – more collaborative and team-basedand team-based

Information Acquisition, Sharing, and Information Acquisition, Sharing, and Retention – effective knowledge and Retention – effective knowledge and information sharinginformation sharing

HRM Practices – all reinforce learningHRM Practices – all reinforce learning Organizational Culture – promotes learningOrganizational Culture – promotes learning Leadership – supportive (at all levels)Leadership – supportive (at all levels)

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Types of Interventions: Types of Interventions: Organizational Transformation Organizational Transformation – 3– 3

High Performance Work SystemsHigh Performance Work Systems– Eight core principles:Eight core principles:

1.1. AlignmentAlignment to organizational strategy to organizational strategy

2.2. Clear goals and outcomes (all levels, all aligned)Clear goals and outcomes (all levels, all aligned)

3.3. Work is organized around processesWork is organized around processes

4.4. Process-oriented tracking and management of resultsProcess-oriented tracking and management of results

5.5. Work units are linked to identified processesWork units are linked to identified processes

6.6. Accountability, cycle time, and responsiveness Accountability, cycle time, and responsiveness emphasizedemphasized

7.7. Collaboration, trust, and mutual support are presentCollaboration, trust, and mutual support are present

8.8. Emphasis on strategic change managementEmphasis on strategic change management

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High Performance Work High Performance Work Systems FrameworkSystems Framework

By Permission: Van Buren & Werner (1996)

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Some Concluding Thoughts on Some Concluding Thoughts on Organization DevelopmentOrganization Development

1.1. Effectiveness: There is evidence for Effectiveness: There is evidence for the effectiveness of particular OD the effectiveness of particular OD interventions. However, there is interventions. However, there is much room for improvement (in the much room for improvement (in the research designs used, and the research designs used, and the results obtained).results obtained).

2.2. Recent efforts have stressed “change Recent efforts have stressed “change management.” management.”

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Some Concluding Thoughts on Some Concluding Thoughts on Organization Development Organization Development –– 2 2

3.3. Many HRD applications can be viewed Many HRD applications can be viewed as OD interventions:as OD interventions:– Human Process-BasedHuman Process-Based: career : career

development, coaching, orientationdevelopment, coaching, orientation– TechnostructuralTechnostructural: skills/technical training: skills/technical training– SociotechnicalSociotechnical: team and quality training: team and quality training– Organization transformationOrganization transformation: EAPs, : EAPs,

management developmentmanagement development

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SummarySummary

Organization development can be difficult!Organization development can be difficult!– Reluctance/resistance to changeReluctance/resistance to change

Success is most likely with:Success is most likely with:– An appropriate model of changeAn appropriate model of change– The appropriate methods/interventionsThe appropriate methods/interventions– A systems approach (e.g., high performance work A systems approach (e.g., high performance work

systems, HRD process model)systems, HRD process model)

Need a dual focus on organizational performance Need a dual focus on organizational performance andand employee well-being employee well-being